Shopping for Groceries
by Margo352
Summary: Father Abuse, and Saving yourself spin a drastic story for Helga. A story about Strength and life. That all start with a shopping trip to the Grocery store.
1. Chapter 1

**Shopping For Groceries**

It all stared in November, when I was in fifth grade. Miriam had lost the food for grocery shopping again. "You…you know…It's really a…a...funny story." Miriam would always start, dazed, telling about how she had put the groceries on the hood of the car and then accidently dove away forgetting that the food was on top of the car.

As you can only guess, our cupboards seem to always be bear, and Bob was losing dollars by the week. And so, on that cold November night sitting at the table eating beans and corn (my personal storage food that had- to my anger- been invaded by Bob for dinner.) My life began to change.

"Girl from now on you're doing the shopping." He had ordered

"ME! ARE YOU CRAZY!?Why can't _you _do it BOB?"

"Now don't you raise your voice at me missy! I've got a beeper store to run, and Miriam here can barely bring home a can of milk home!"

"But-But how will I get there?

"You'll walk! It's the cheapest way to get there."

"DAD! Do you have ANY idea how far the grocery store is?!"

"About five miles there and back! And I don't see why you're complaining! Olga would have walked 15 miles each way and cooked us a fest! Now shut your trap and eat your beans!" Of course at the time, I didn't know what Bob was capable of doing and there was no way I was planning to walk ten miles for grocery each week told myself.

"There Is NO way I'm gonging to walk ten miles to get groceries Bob! You can just pick them up yourself after work!"

I had thought that, that was that then. Proud of myself, secretly, for telling my father off. But I was wrong. The matter wasn't settled.

Bob rose from his chair growing red with anger and raised his hand. Ready to strike me for the first time in my young life.

The next day my cheek was still a bit red from last night, and I was making plans to go shopping on Saturday.


	2. Chapter 2

It was Saturday morning, and Bob was watching Television. Miriam was no were to be found but probably asleep behind the couch. I had come down stairs, still in my PJ's that morning forgetting that I had to go shopping today.

"OLGA! IT'S 10 O'CLOCK! WERE'S THE FOOD?!" I jumped scared to death, losing 5 years of my life span. I'm serious I literally think Bob stole some of my years off of my life that day.

I gulped terrified. I know what you're thinking, Helga Pataki? Scared? Unheard of. Well I was. But wouldn't any 10 year old be scared if they just realized that their father who slapped them was expecting food you didn't have?

Yeah. That's what I thought.

"Umm… I haven't gone…shopping yet… "I mumbled my voice growing fainter by the word.

My father towered over me "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T GONE SHOPPING ALREADY!?" He bellowed. "WHAT WERE YOU DOING?!"

"Um…Sleeping?" I respond timidly.

"WELL GET GOING!" He screamed. I ran upstairs and yanked my clothes as fast as I could. I raced downstairs grabbing my shoes and yanking them on.

I gulped. Here came the hard part. Asking for money.

"Dad? Um…can I have some money to buy the food with?" Bob grumbled and handed me a fifty dollar bill. I knew from shopping with Olga that groceries usually cost a hundred to two hundred dollars, but it wasn't like I was going to bring this to my father's attention.

I raced out the door and headed for the bus stop. I pulled a nickel out of my dress to pay for the bus and slumped on the bench waiting for the bus, exhausted. Finally the bus came and I rushed on. I knew the bus wouldn't take me to the store exactly, but it would take me close enough so I wouldn't have to walk five miles.

"Helga?"

"A-ARNOLD! I mean what are you doing here football head?" I snapped, trying to glare at him but beginning to fall into his deep hypnotizing eyes…Oh…so…beautiful…. Then he spoke tracing me even more with his beautiful melodious song he called a voice.

"I'm just taking the bus to Lila's house, I thought we could work on our math together…"

Hmmm…Math…WAIT-WHAT! He's going to LILA'S HOUSE! I give him my best glare- a real one this time. "That's nice football head. Have a good time sucking faces with 'Ang Mo'" (means red devil in Chinese)

Although I knew Arnold didn't know what 'Ang Mo' meant, he did know that I was referring to Lila. And turned a fierce shade of scarlet. "Hel-GA!" I snicker. Can't help it. He's so cute when I tease him and squirming.

The bus slowed to a stop. Arnold looked out my window. "Guess this is my stop. Bye Helga!" He rushed of the bus, no doubt trying to get away from me. I sigh and watch him run down the sidewalk to Lila's house.

About a million stops later I finally am able to get off. I enter the store and grabbing a cart, stroll down the aisles.

"What to get…What to get…"I muttered.

I mentally started making a list in my mind.

Bread-sandwiches

Milk-to drink

Fruit-lunches

Ok, that would cover me. But what about breakfast and dinners?

Bread-toast

Eggs- Eggs are in EVERYTHING

Butter-spread

Vegetables- sides

And of course CANS. No matter what would happen I was ultimately convinced that cans were and still are my safety food. CANS were always there. Beans, Corn, Peaches, Brussels sprouts. You name it; I've had it in CANS. I stopped abruptly and starred.

Every were I looked, I saw CANS.

Walls of them just SITTING THERE! I was in Heaven! I gazed at them fondly before snapping out and grabbing a few, monotone and dumping them in.

I moved on grabbing some bread, and eggs. I passed the dairy section and got a gallon of milk, butter before moving on to get some cereal I had added to the list, and PJ in a jar. I haled it all to the checkout line. The women stared at me with a raise eyebrow but scanned the food none the less. I gasped in horror and relief when the numbers popped up.

Milk-$1.40

Butter-$1.96

Bread-$1.64

Eggs-$ 2.63

Cereal-$3.20

7CANS-$16.45

PJ-$3.21

**Total-$30.46**

Pulled out my fifty and collecting the groceries and change made my way out of the building. Made my way to the bus stop and waited for the bus.

And waited.

And waited

And waited.

Finally after an hour, the buss came along and I hoped on. I paid my toll and sat down.

When I arrived home, Bob was furious. Apparently, something at work went wrong. Again. I frowned and I placed the food on the table.

"GIRL WERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" he had hollered. I glared at him

"At the store BOB. Buying groceries. Doi!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't you take that tone with me missy! And what? WHAT IS THIS JUNK?"

"Food. BOB!"

"THIS ISN"T FOOD! THIS IS…THIS IS…WELL I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! IS THIS ALL YOU GOT? THIS WOUN'T FEED US FOR A DAY!"

"WELLLL EXUSE ME! BUT YOU ONLY GAVE ME FIFTY BUCKS! GORCERY'S COST A HUNDERD TO TWO HUNDERAD DOLLORS!"

And right then, if you were anywhere in the border of that city, I'm sure you could have hear that sound he made as his skin made contact with mine. And silence fell everywhere. I couldn't hear any cars bussing, or hissing or honking. I couldn't hear Screams and shouts of my friends, I couldn't hear any of that except the deep breathing and my racing heart.

He had struck me again. And this time, the blow had forced me to the ground.

"Go to your room. I expect better work from you next week. And this time. WALK!"

I gasped. How did he know that? But I picked myself up off the kitchen floor and ran to my room. I slowly faced my mirror and stared. There, on my face…

Was a shiner.


End file.
